Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada
Volume 39, Issue 6, 2017, Pages 459-464.e2

Sex Ratios at Birth Among Indian Immigrant Subgroups According to Time Spent in Canada (Article) (Open Access)

Brar A. , Wanigaratne S. , Pulver A. , Ray J.G. , Urquia M.L.*
  • a Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • b Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Toronto, ON, United States
  • c Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • d Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Toronto, ON, United States
  • e Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Toronto, ON, United States, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Abstract

Objectives To examine whether son-biased male to female (M:F) ratios at birth among linguistically different subgroups of Indian immigrants vary according to duration of residence in Canada. Methods We analyzed a retrospective cohort of 46 834 live births to Indian-born mothers who gave birth in Canada between 1993 and 2014. The M:F ratio at birth was calculated according to the sex of previous live births and stratified by (1) time since immigration to Canada (<10 and ≥10 years) and (2) mother tongue (Punjabi, Gujarati, Hindi, and other). We estimated adjusted odds ratios (aORs) using multivariate logistic regression to assess the probability of having a male newborn with 5-year increases in duration of residence in Canada for each language group. ORs were adjusted for married status, knowledge of English/French, maternal education at arrival and age and neighbourhood income at delivery. Results Among all Indian immigrant women with two previous daughters, M:F ratios were higher than expected (1.92, 95% CI 1.73-2.12), particularly among those whose mother tongue was Punjabi (n = 25 287) (2.40, 95% CI 2.11-2.72) and Hindi (n = 7752) (1.63, 95% CI 1.05-2.52). M:F ratios did not diminish with longer duration in Canada (Punjabi 5-year aOR 1.03, 95% CI 0.81-1.31; Hindi 5-year aOR 0.94, 95% CI 0.42-2.17). Conclusion Among the Punjabi and Hindi women with two previous daughters, longer duration of residence did not attenuate son-biased M:F ratios at the third birth. Gender equity promotion may focus on Punjabi- and Hindi-speaking Indian immigrant women regardless of how long they have lived in Canada. © 2017 The Authors

Author Keywords

India language Sex ratio Acculturation Immigration Canada

Index Keywords

education immigrant India logistic regression analysis sex ratio human epidemiology immigration Odds Ratio statistics and numerical data Gujarati (people) Hindi probability ethnology neighborhood speech tongue Young Adult Humans migrant Adolescent married person Infant, Newborn Canada male Emigrants and Immigrants female newborn pregnancy cultural factor Retrospective Studies major clinical study mother adult Sex Distribution live birth retrospective study son
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85018828693&doi=10.1016%2fj.jogc.2017.01.002&partnerID=40&md5=5b4f6dbdc3b8db07e094c0b48871ca45
DOI: 10.1016/j.jogc.2017.01.002
ISSN: 17012163
Cited by: 2
Original Language: English